Improved machine foe making needles



2 SheetsSheet 1.

G. P. S. WARDWELL. MAGHINE FOR MAKING NEEDLES.

No. 69,280. Patented Sept. 24, l867.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

mm H mm M G mm K AA W F Rm T w A M No. 69,280. Patented Sept 24. 1867.

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C. P. S. WARDWELL, OF LAKE VILLAGE. NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Letters Patent Nn.,69,280, time swimmer 24, 1867.

IMPROVED MAGHINE FOR MAKING NEEDLES.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I

Be it known that I, C. I. S. ,WAnnwnLn, of Lake Village, in the county of Belknap, end'Stute of New Hampshire, have invented an. Improved Machine for Making Machine-Knitting Needles; and I do hereby dcclme that the following is a full and exact descrintion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, marking part of this specification- Figure 1 being a side elevation of the machine.

Figure 2, a front elvation thereof.

Figure 3, a plan of one end or half thereof.

Figure 4, a front view of the eye-punches, showing the method of mounting and adjusting them.

Figure 5, a front view of the cutting-eff dies or shear-blades, showing the method oi mounting and adjust ing them. I

Figure 6, a vertical section, from front to back, through one of the cutting-oil dies and the springresser, showing their relative arrangement. 5

Figure 7, a top view of the adjustable bed-piece, and of the needle-beds thereon.

Figure 8, a view of the wedge device for clamping and holding the needle-wires on the bed.

Figure 9, a view, showing a modification of the mode of clamping the wires.

Figure 10, a side View of one of the needle-beds or blocks.

Figure 11, a side elevation of the swinging-frame on which the rcvdlving cutters are mounted, and ofthe mechanism connected therewith, for raising the cutters away from the needles when the s abhing is completed, nndfor bringing and holding the cuttersagain down in position. I

Figure 12, a diagram of parts corresponding to those in fig. 10, showing a modification of the mechsnism for throwing the cutters out of and into position for slabbing the needles.

Figure 13, a diagram, also of corresponding parts, showing another modification of the mechanism for moving the cutters into and out of slubbing position.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

In this improved machine Iemploy a reciprocating carriage or table, II, moving horizontully or transversely in 'the machine. This reciprocating table, by its movements, in connection with other parts, performs er fulfills the following functions: first, of feeding or drawing the wire or wires, by needle-lengths, into the machine; second, of a stationary die in punching the eyes of the needles; third, of a support for the needles in slabbing or forming the barbs thereof; fourth, of a guide to determinethe form of the barbs; fifth, of. e stutionary shear-blade in cutting of? the needles from the wires: sixth, mcdiutely of throwing the slahbingcutters out of action.

In connection and harmony of actiouwith this icciprocating table, for the complete performance of the processes which the enumerated functions involve, I employ, first, a stationary wire-holder, 1, which retains the wires in u fixed position while the reciprocating table recedes for a renewed hold, to feed them forward in the next advance movement; second, I employ eye-punches 2 2, which have a reciprocating movement vertically,

or transverse to the movements of the reciprocating table; third, I employ revolving cutters s s, for slabbing the needles, or forming the herbs thereof; fourth, I employ a bed-block, N, situated and adjustable, in a. position oblique to the direction of the reciprocating table's movement, sothat the needles are slnbbed obliquely to their axes; fifth, I employ reciprocating shew-blades or dies 11 which have a vertical movement, or transverse to thnt of the table; sixth, I employ a swinging-frame, S, in which the clubbing-cutters as are mount-ed, and'a mechanism connected with said swinging-frame. to raise the cutters away from the needles at the proper time and again bring it down into position for action.

In the drawings 1 have represented only one side of the machine with all the parts complete. Thus, in fig. 2 only the right-hand side is shown fully, while the left-hand side shows only the framework. But the mechanism on that side is only a. duplicate of that on the other side, which shows an arrangement of parts for making fonr needles at a time. By duplicating this mechanism eight needles can be made at once, with only one set of driving parts. Any greater or smaller number of needles may be made at one time, as desired.

Let B represent a pulley to which the motive power is communicated. Upon its shaft 6 a small cog-wheel,

sliding-bur I.

a,genrs-into a cog-wheel, 0, several times larger, so that the motions communicated to the shafts thereof may be ssmany tims'slower than the motion of the driving-shaft b. Upon the shaft 1; are two cams D and E, the

former of whie'h com'municntes the vertical reciprocating movement to the eye-punches 2 2 end cutting-oft shear-blades pound the letter of which communicates the horizontal reciprocating movement to the table ll. I In communicating the proper motions to the eye-punches and outting ofl 'shear-blades bynhe cum I), the said punchessnd blades are. suitably mounted in a. block or head, 0 on a vertical bar, I, which may move up and down in a. groove or ways,.3, fig- 1. To thissliding-bar u connecting-rod, J, is pivoted at i, and its lower end is pivoted nt j to a cam-lever,'Q,'which is itself pivoted at one-end (as at 4) to projections of another com-lever, G,,that is pivoted ntg to the frame ot' the machine. "The cam D acts directly on the movable end of the lever G, and produces the ordinary movements of the sliding-bur I and head 0. The com is adjusted on its shaft 0 by u set-screw, .os shown, so to propct ly'tiine the mot-ions of thc'punchcs, shear-blades, and other parts moved thereby. Thesnuxiliary lever Q is moved by n frict ionn'oller, d, on the cum D, separately from the lever G, sndhhs a more powerful leverage to draw down; the bar I, as well as diminished friction, by the use of the said friction-roller. 'The use of this auxiliary lever is to act at the moment of punching the eyes of the needle, which requires a comparatively powerful action.

The com Ddraws the slidingbar and'hcad' downward only, and the return motion is effected by a counterweight, it, on u. lever. T, the opposite end. of which bears npwnrd against a pin or stud, 6, fig. 1, on the For communicating the horizontal forward motion'to the' reciprocating table II, from the cam E, a. camlever, F, is 'pivctedot I: to a projection'ot: the frame. The lower end or pointfot this lever is curved townrds the cam, substantially as shown in tin. 1, so that neither'the cnm D na? its frietion-rollerd, can interfere with the motions of'the lever,'and so thatit can more readily adapt itself to the irregular form of its own cam E. The upper end of the lever Fis connected with the table II by u connecting-rod, lnwhich is pivoted to the tsble'nt 7, and has an adjustable connection with the lever at 8, fig. 1. The fulcrum-pivot I: of the lever is adjustable up and down in aslot, 9, of the frame by n set-screw, 2, so tlnit the extent of movement given to the table may be varied at plensure.

- The rcturnmovement of the table is ofl'ected a counter-weightonh lever, 5, projecting from the lever F. In feeding the wires along, it is n'ecessory thstrthey-shonid be slle'rnately clampedto the table II or bedpiecc N thereon, and then set, free, for. the return movement of the tiible. I have an improved mechsnism for this purpose, by which I clamp any number at once,by the simple movement of a. wedge, Y, as shown particulei-1y in fig. 8. This wedge fits nndslides under a wedge-shaped block, 10, substantially as shown. The wires .are held between the block 10.nnd a fixed hill, 11, situated over and parallel with the block. As the wedge is driven in under the block 10, the block is rhised unitformly at bothends, and clamps the wi'res securely between it and the bar 11, and asthe wedge is drawn outward the block descends and leaves the wires free.

.The wedge Y is moyedinurid out by means of a lever, L,-whiclr is pivoted at 12 to the, side of the table H niidmoyrestherewith'. Its upper end is pivoted by adjustable cone-poiutsyy to the shank of thewcdge,. and its lower end is provided with a com-slot, -l, .fig.-.Z, in which moves it transverse rod, m, secured to the vertical reciprocating bar I. This rod is long enough to allow the lever L to truverse it in its entire horizontal motion with the tubleH, and, as the-sliding-bar 1 moves up and down, it :tctuntesth'e lever L sons to produce the motions of thewedgc Y, asrequired';

In fig. 9 is shown amodificationof tlie'wcdge-clamp above described. The same letters and figures of referenceindiccte ports of corresponding functioii'stc those of'the wedge device. The vibrating lever L presses a. block, toward, a'stutionary bar 1], and clamps the'wire between their suri'uces; and another hook-shaped block, Y, may be connected with the lever L, below its fulcrum 12, and clamp another wire against the has 11. When only one or two wires are worked together, this arrangement may be preferable to the wedge-device, but the latter isapplicable to any number of wires arranged side by side. I l

The stationary holder 1, to ho ld'the wires fixed while the table recedes, has swing-plates 13, which, when brought down into nearly a vertical position, press on the wires and hold them from returning; but when the wires are drawn forward the-hold isreleased, and the plates swing upward and rest freely on the wires. A,,.

spring, 14, may be used to keep the swinging-plates close upon the wires.

Each needle-wire rcstsi on a needle-block or bed, 1t, grooved longitudinally, from end to end, as seen most clearly in fig. 7, and the wires may be held in the grooves by light springs 17, fig. 1, pressing down thereon. The blocks or bedsnwere-securedinthe-top of-ambed-block, N, .whicnitself. is. mounted on the reciprocating table H. The i'ront halfor portion of each bed 11, is cut down somewhat, as seen in fig. 10, so as to make the needle-groove therein. shallower, and allow the slubbing-cutt-ers to out without touching the bed. The rear port of the block has its groove-deep enough to sccurely'and accurately hold the wire therein, and prevent any side dlsplncement, when the'eye-punch comes down on the wire. As the eye requires to be very accurately made, neither to the right nor left ofthe centre of the wire, the greatest accuracy of construction and surest guards against side displacement are necessary. In order thnt neither the bed-block N, nor the table H, may

cause side displacement, I secure a. firmguide or guides, 16, on the top of said bed-block, and causcit to. move accurately and closely. ina. notch or groove in the punch-block nbove, and thus secure the proper relative position of the blocks very pertectlyt '-'.lhe eye-punches 2 2 are firmly secured in the block 0, and are brought upon the wires at the proper time by the descent of the sliding-burl. They are adjusted downward by set'. scr cws o o, as particularly seen in fig. 4. At the some time that the punches descend the'eutting-ofl' sheanblcdes or dies-pp are brought down, and cut the completed needles from the wires, byshearing in contnctwith the front ends of'thcbeds or n, which thus not us stationary blades in connection therewith. The table ll does not move while the punching and cutting-off movements are going on.

When the shear-cutters and punches descend, it is necessary that the wires should be surely in their grooves. I employ spring-presses r 1', located just behind the shear-cutters p p, or between them and the punches 2 2, and so arranged as to reach the wires a. little before the shear-cutters do, as indicated in fig. 6.

Then, when the cutters rise again. these pressers hold the wires down till the cutters are raised from contact therewith, so that the cutters cannot lift the wires by rubbing against their ends. And this, in a great measure, prevents the bendingor springiiig of the needles by the action of the punches, or by the cutters lifting the ends thereof. The pressers are forced down by springs 18 acting on the shanks 19, fig. 6, working in the block I, which is attached to the head-block O of the sliding-bar I. The shear-cutters p p are adjusted downward by set-screws q g.

In order to fully provide against the springing and setting of the needles from a straight form by the action of the punches in formingthe eyes, I use deflectors 15, figs. 1 and 3, situated behind the stationary holder 1, to which they may be secured. By the blue lines in fig. Ci, it will be seen that these deflectors tend to spring the wires downward somewhat and by adjusting the deflectors up or down, the amount of deflection may be made to exactly compensate for any springing or bending which the eye-punches may give, so thatthey will leave the finished needles straight. The wires are straightened before being fed into the'machine.

The form of the barbs in slabbing is determined by sitting the bed-block N obliquely, or inclined to the table, so that the bed-grooves and wires shall lie in positions slightly inclined to the direction of the motions given thereto in moving the table forward. To enable this bed-block to be inclined, its lower surface slopes away a little from-the centre to each end, or is a. little convex or rounding, as seen in fig. 1. Thus it can be inclined or rocked it little endwise. Its inclination is adjusted by a. set-screw, 1v, figs. 1 and 2, so as to shape the barb just as required.

The cutters e s are raised somewhat, so as to cease to cut the wires as soon as the barbs are slabbed, by raising that end of the swinging-frame S in which their arbor is mounted. This frame swings vertically, or up and down, around a pivot, 20, and at the other end 21 is the mechanism by which I accomplish this raising of the cutters, when, at the proper time, the reciprocating tablebriugs forward an adjustable inelined block, Z.

A projection, 2'], of the main frame, supports a guide-rod or bolt, 32, which extends upward through the end of the swinging-frnme. On this guidc-bolt,.5ibove the swinging-frame, is a coiled spring, ;r, held down and adjusted in force by a not which is screwed upon the bolt. This spring holds the end of the swinging-frame down in place at all times; and when the tripping-stud 23 is slipped from itssupport 34, forces the frame down far enough to lift the cutters mounted on the other end of the swinging-frame out of action. The extent to which the end 1 of the swinging-frame descends wheat-ripped is limited and adjusted by an elastic block, 26, on the guide-bolt 32, moved up and down by a. nut, 45, underneath. The tripping-stud 23 is secured in a pivotblock, 24, which turns freely in the swinging-frame, so that the stilli may be free to slip oir' from the supporting plate 34-. The stud is adjustable up and down in the pivot-block, so as to adjust the position of the cutters to the wire when slabbing. The supporting-plate S-i is also adjusted forward and back in its socket d6, so as to allow the trippingstud to drop oif more quickly or more t'ardily, and it is held in place by a set-screw, 28. The socket 4b is also adjustable up and down by a wedge, 27,.driven under it, more or less, by a screw, 29.

In the pivotbiock 24 (if the tripping-stud is also secured a trip-rod, V, so located that when the inclined block Z is brought forward by the reciprocating table itstrikcs said trip-rod, turns the pivot-block 2i, and throws the tripping-rod 2 3 off from its supporting-plate 34, when theend 21 of the swinging-frame is immedi ntcly forced down by the spring .u to the stop 26, thereby raising the cutters at the other end out of action. Then, at the proper time, when the sliding-head O descends with the eye-punches and cutting-oil? shear-blades, it brings down an adjustable stop, u, figs. 1, 2, and 3, upon the cutter end of the swinging-frame, till the cutters are again brought into position for action, at which time a coiled spring, drawing sidcwise on the trip-rod V, throws the tripping-stud 2-5 again upon its support 34, ready for a renewal of the process of the mechanism.

In fig. 12 this tripping mechanism is shown somewhat modified. Instead of supporting a tripping-rod, 23, upon a supporting-plate, 34, to be pushed off at the proper time, as above described, the tripping-rodis jointed nt 35 to another supporting-rod, 36, which is itself pivoted to an adjustable support, 37-, thus forming a sort of toggle-joint arrangement, which cannot bend backward, but can forward. It is held straightened by a spring, 0, and when the inclined block Z strikes the trip-rod V, the toggle is bent thereby against the force'of the spring v, and lowers that end of the swinging-frame. As the inclined block Z again recedes, the toggle is straightened by the spring 0, and the swinging-frame is again brought back into place. i

In fig. 13 there is shown another modification of this mechanism. Here the supporting-stud 23 rests, by a pivot, 30, at its lower end, on an adjustable screw or block, 31. This block is mounted on a sliding-bar or carriage, 38, suitably moved forward by the inclined block Z pushing forward the trip-rod V. This movement carries the lower end of the supporting-stud outof vertical line with its pivot l gand consequently allows that end of the swinging-frame to descend as much as required. When the sliding-bar 38 reaches the extent of its forward movement a notch, 39, in its lower side, hooks around a tooth or projection, 40, on a spring, 41. It is thus held till a stop or projection on the vertically sliding bar I strikes the spring 41, and releases the hold of the catch, and then a counter-weight, 42, drawing-on a cord over a friction-pulley, 43, returns the sliding-bar to its former position, and all parts are as before. The wedge 27 simply adjusts the height of the block 31, and moves with the sliding-bar 38. It is the moviugof the stud 23 into an inclined position which depresses that end of the swinging-frame.

The teeth of the several cutters s s are all so arranged in relation to each other that thcycut in succes- .signeil iliisipigliteuntli daypf Jan'uai y, 1867.

an, mm

sion at equal inc ui'vals. 'flhiequqlizes the action of thecutt oisi +thy run more steadily, arul do not spixit'crf :xs'they would if anyt vo should c ilz togethgr; I

What]: claim nimy inyention, and ds i're t b secune by Letters'Pntent, is-- 1. The reciprocating table IL'constmicledhs described, operatiiig with other mechanism, to feed the wire forward, to punch the eyes ofv the needles, to slab the ends, to 'q gtcrmine the foriiis of the barbs. and to cut'lhc,

Iieedles from the wires, substantially d5 herein specified) l. I {lisp claim the wedge-ch mp Y. cbnsfrlictcil, arranged, aml apex-flied suhstantiallIy as Hill for the INN- poseliercip specified. v V I v 3. I also claim ihcguid e orguides 1661i ihe top of't lic becl-b-lbck N,-o c1':1ting.substantially as and fur the phrpo se l ci-oinspecified. I

4. l'also claim ihe spring resser-plum or plates r ui'iti ngcd aml operating in combinati n with the cutting-off blades :Lllbl jG-Plllldlki, substantially as and for the purposes ho l spcvificd.

5. 1- also claiui -ih deflcctqr OI ileflectol q 15. obi-l ming in (.OIIllJllNlliOll with the reciprocating l ed-block hi and eje-pu nch or punches, arranged S-ubt uitially us and fur the purpos herein set forth also-claim rhebumbined armiige nenl: of chibed-block N, ulljusted Ubliqlhely lil ille liriq of its motion. rocipi'ucating iqbleH, and-cutters s s, :idj siahle lumird aml mm the table, .suh'slaiiii:illy as-Qa m'i foh'tlic purpose herein s pei-iliiul. i

7. I also claim the xiiqhaiui'sm, substantially as hr-r'ein specified, for raising the cutters out of action, and returning and i'e'iaining them in position fin fiction. substantially as herein. st forth.

The bov'e s pecificmfiibn f my iiiiproved'iiiachine for making machil'iwknitting negdles and other nee-(ll C. P. 'S. WAR-DWELL.

wi t'nsest Jon; Amman,

Joim i8 HENSLEY. 

